Curtains or Drapes

What are curtains, what are drapes, and what is the difference between curtains and drapes is what you’ll find out in just a minute, because many people believe they are the same thing and use the words interchangeably, however they are not and you will see that these very important home items are used for different things.

Curtains vs. drapes – the main difference

The most important difference between curtains and drapes is the material. Curtains are a lighter fabric and they typically let light in, and are not usually used for privacy because you can see through them.

A type of curtain used for more privacy is blackout, which is built with darkening features and is a thicker fabric, however they do not provide what you need to block out light.

For blocking out the light, we have drapes. Drapes offer privacy as well and can block cold and heat as needed. Made of heavy fabric, drapes used to be available mostly in dark colors, but are now made in a variety of them, including white.

Other differences between curtains and drapes

• Drapes are considered to be more formal than curtains and are often included as statement pieces of décor in dining rooms, elegant houses, hotels and high-end restaurants.
• Unlike curtains, which can be shorter, drapes usually hang from the top of the windows to the floor, which also adds the more formal look.
• Unlike drapes, which because of the darker colors and the heavy fabric have protective qualities, curtains because they don’t cut sunlight but let it in, cannot provide protection from sun damage and cannot prevent fading.
• Drapes are more high-maintenance than curtains, which can be easily washed at home using a delicate cycle. Drapes could require the services of a dry cleaner due to the special fabric.
• While curtains are opened and closed by pulling the fabric, drapes are usually operated by a drawstring, although not necessarily.
• Most curtains are made to flutter in the breeze while drapes hang on a rod.

Now that we covered the differences, it’s worth noting that similarities do exist between curtains and drapes. For example, both are sold as cheap or as expensive to fit any household budget.

And nowadays both curtains and drapes are manufactured in a variety of colors and decorative touches and you can purchase them as simple as you want them to be or as elegant as you like.

Also, each are available in different lengths and widths, and possibly most important, quality curtains and drapes can last many years when maintained properly.

So if you were wondering whether to buy curtains or drapes, then know that you don’t need to decide between them unless you specifically need one over the other. A majority of people prefer to have both, especially in bedrooms and living rooms where they can manipulate the light to suit their needs and create the look and feel they prefer.